The Life and Times of The Resident Goths
by FatalBlueSweetie
Summary: Rogue runs away from home the night her powers manifest, what happenes when two men find her in a jail cell and bring her home? ROMY
1. Chapter 1

The Life and Times of the Resident Goth

By: FatalBlueSweetie

Disclaimer: I own everything but everything (a.k.a. I own nothing)

Chapter 1

The night was warm and clear. The moon was bright, the stars were plentiful. The air smelled strongly of honeysuckles and the pond rippled gently as the fish swam and the frogs jumped. Beside the small pond was a large shady oak tree. It had a large brown trunk and many green leafy branches. Under the tree sat two people enjoying a candle light picnic. The girl had soft auburn curls that cascaded down her back except for two small locks of white that framed her pale round face. She was average height and skinny but by no means weak. She could hold her own in a fight if need be. She was presently laughing quietly at a joke her companion had voiced. Her accomplice was tall and well built. The stereotypical football player. He had blonde hair that just grazed his ears and fell into bright blue eyes that you could drown in if you stared long enough. He was tan and beautiful. He was the epitome of all American boy.

The two sat under the tree, in a small park, in a small Mississippi town on the bank of the Mississippi River. The pair was enjoying a magical first date. They had been neighbors since they could remember and friends for just as long. It wasn't until the beginning of the summer before their junior year of high school that they decided to take their relationship a step further. This was that step.

The two sat on a red and white-checkered blanket with a large wicker picnic basket between them and a few long stick candles scattered around to provide a little light. In the basket was some southern comfort. The food they had grown up on; fried chicken and chili, gumbo and Cody's mom even made her award winning Pecan Pie as dessert.

The two ate happily as they talked about school and their summer plans. Cody was going to a football camp in mid July for a few weeks, while Marie stayed at home and helped her mother wait tables at the local diner.

The food was nearly gone and the two teens were satisfyingly full. Cody offered Marie a hand and helped her to her feet. He stepped out from under the tree's canopy of leafs and under a blanket of dark velvet spotted with bright white stars. Cody sat on the bank of the pond and lay back, bringing his girl with him. They watched the stars in a companionable silence. Cody turned his head and looked at the southern belle that was lying next to him. He propped himself up on his elbow and stared at her lips, slightly open taking in small breathes of the sweet air. Cody longed to touch them, to see if they were as soft as he imagined them. Marie's emerald eyes flickered to Cody's face and back up to the sky. Cody lifted his hand and gently touched her cheek, turning her head towards him. He seized the moment and brought his lips down to meet hers. The kiss was short and sweet. Cody smiled down at the girl beneath him. She smiled back and brought her hand up to the back of his neck. She pulled his head down onto hers and kissed him deeply.

It was then that it happened.

As their lips met and their tongues intertwined, something went wrong. Marie felt a pull and suddenly images that weren't her own were flashing in her mind. She saw a small blonde boy falling off a bike and a small red haired girl laughing while she was helping him up. Marie tried to break away from Cody but she couldn't. He had tightened his grip on her when the pull started. She struggled and yelled, but it did no good, her yells were simply muffled by Cody's mouth. Eventually Marie was able to break Cody's grip as he withered and shook. She jumped to her feet and ran. She didn't know where she was running or what was happening, all she knew was that she was one of them, what she was taught to despise. She was a mutant. She was what her mother, her town, her world hated.

She knew she couldn't go home. She knew her mother would know something was wrong, she just had a sixth sense and God knows what she would do to Marie if she found out. She would never be accepted here any longer and she knew it had to do with whatever she had done to Cody.

'Ah kissed him an' somethin' happened, lahke…lahke Ah was suckin' the lahfe outta him or somethin'. God Ah'm a frickin' succubus or somethin'. But whah didn't whatevah happened happen when Ah kissed him the first tahme? Oh God what if it happens again? Is it only when Ah kiss someone or can Ah nevah touch anyone again? Oh God Ah'm a leper!' All these thoughts and questions darted in and out of Marie's mind, along with memories that weren't hers, as she made her way through the darkened streets of town, on her way to her house to grab her things.

Marie ran back to her house and snuck in her bedroom window. She could hear the television from the living room down the hall and prayed that it would cover up any noise that she made. She would grab some clothes and 'borrow' some money from her mother, it was the least the woman could do, then write a note and disappear into the night, never to be seen or heard from again.

Marie's mother woke up the next morning and went to her daughter's room intending to wake her up for church but instead of rousing a sleepy teenager, she found a note. As she read the tell-all piece of paper tears weld up behind her eyes and she cried. She cried long and hard.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Not having anywhere to go, Marie decided to walk to the bus station in the next town. Now sporting her only pair of gloves, Marie made it to the depot in a few hours. It was hard walking when you have a rather large rucksack slung over one shoulder.

She walked up to the ticket booth and examined her choices. The next bus to anywhere was a grey hound to New York City, which was leaving in an hour.

"How can Ah help ya dear?" the woman in the ticket booth asked.

"Ya got any more tickets ta New York?"

The woman's, Irene by her nametag, fingers flew across the keypad next to her.

"Yah're lucky. Theres one left. Ya want it?"

Marie nodded her head slightly and fished in her pocket for the money she stole from her mother.

"That'll be $20, kid."

Marie handed Irene a bill and waited impatiently for the ticket in return. A piece of flimsy paper was pushed through the small gap in the glass and Marie took it. She looked down and saw her bus was 54.

Marie heard a rumble and looked down at her stomach.

'How can Ah possibly be hungry again?' she asked herself. She glanced at her watch, then at the ticket. She had a half an hour before the bus began to load so she looked around and headed to the small convenience store inside the depot building. Using the money she had left sparingly, she bought a small bottle of water and a buttered bagel. She walked outside and sat on a bench a few yards away from the bus she was to be boarding soon. She quickly finished the bagel and walked up to the bus when she saw a short, portly man in a bus uniform walk to the doors and climb onto the bus. Marie approached the behemoth of a bus a little wearily having never been on one herself. She walked to school, so she never even rode a school bus.

The driver opened the doors and Marie walked up the stairs, handing the ticket to the man, or at least tried to. He rolled his eyes at her and pointed to a large silver box with a thin horizontal slit in it. Marie looked at the ticket once more and pushed it through the slot then walked to the back corner of the bus and took a seat.

She went into her bag and pulled out a small portable compact disk player, she placed the headphones on her ears and turned the music on as loud as it would go. She pulled the hood to her black sweatshirt on to hide her face. The last thing she needed was to be recognized during her getaway.

The bus slowly began to fill with passengers. They all steered clear of the hooded teenager. She scared them. She gave of vibes filled with anger and confusion and her appearance didn't help matters. When Marie had returned to her house to gather her things she decided to change her appearance. From years of observing people she had seen that those people who wore dark clothing and looked hostile, were generally left alone and avoided. She figured if she became one of those people then everyone else wouldn't try to talk to her or get close to her or anything. She was clothed in all black despite the Mississippi heat and had rimmed her eyes heavily with her little used black eyeliner. She put on the dark purple lipstick that her friend had given to her as a gag gift the year before and fixed her face with a permanent scowl.

She turned her cd player up to the peak of its volume so the rock cd she stole from her brother pulsed muffled through the air around her.

A few minutes after the last person boarded, the bus driver closed the doors and put the bus into motion. The bus turned out of the parking lot and onto the highway and Marie took one last look at the life she was forever leaving behind her.

Marie awoke with a start as the bus stopped and settled. She glanced out the window and saw a rest stop on an interstate. Next to the bus, attached to the building was a sign that read 'Welcome to Tennessee'. Marie blinked, and glanced at her watch. The numbers and hands shouted out to her that it was five minutes to ten am. Marie had been asleep for close to six hours.

'Well I guess sucking out someone's soul can really tire a person,' she thought bitterly to herself.

Marie felt her stomach grumble and glared daggers down at it. She only had a few dollars left and she needed them to get some sort of shelter in New York. Marie considered her options. They weren't very good. Get food now and satisfy her stomach but have no money to get a hotel room when she gets to New York or save her money and starve. Marie made up her mind and stood up to get off the bus. She never was very good at ignoring her stomach.

There was a crowd mingling around the foyer as Marie entered. She noticed a wallet sticking out of the back pocket of a large man who was coughing uncontrollably. Marie made a split second decision and as she brushed past him to get in line for food she snatched the wallet, as the man was in mid-cough. He didn't notice a thing.

Marie jumped onto the end of a food line and waited to reach the food, her stomach grumbling in anticipation. She hid the brown leather in front of her and quickly opened it to see what she had grabbed. Inside were a few credit cards and a handful of bills. She grabbed the bills and stuffed them into her pocket. She passed a garbage can and deposited the wallet in it. She gathered her food and paid with the money she had left from her mother and returned to the bus. It wasn't until she was sitting in her seat again that she examined exactly how much she had taken.

Marie's jaw dropped. The man must have been loaded. She had taken fifteen bills, all hundreds and fifties. From one person she was set for a while, she might even be able to rent a cheapo apartment if she was lucky. She stuffed the money back into her pocket and continued eating, making her stomach happy.

The rest of the ride was long and arduous. They stopped once more Baltimore, Maryland for food and to switch drivers. Marie slept from then until the bus pulled up to a final stop in the New York City Bus Depot, Bronx Division. Marie grabbed her bag from overhead and joined the throng of passengers descending from the bus. She watched enviously as her fellow bus mates were met with hugs and shouts of welcome. Marie was met with nothing.

Slinging the bag once more over her shoulder, Marie walked down the street looking for any sign of a motel or something close to. She spotted the sign of a Motel Six a few blocks down and headed that way. By the time she got there she was ready to drop her bag and fall over. Sleeping on a bumpy bus isn't exactly rejuvenating.

She approached the clerk and asked for a room. The short drunken man with a greasy black comb over leered at her and took her reservation. She was given a room on the top floor of the three-story complex. She paid for a weeklong stay and snatched the key from the man's stubby fingers. He looked at her gloves and raised an eyebrow. She hurried out of the office and walked up the stairs to her room. She dropped her bag onto the floor. She made sure her door was locked before stripping off her sweat soaked clothes and jumping in the shower. She hadn't showered in more then twenty-four hours and was beginning to show signs of it.

She toweled herself off as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped the cloth securely around herself before going into the room and searching for some sleep worthy clothing in her bag. She found them. A pair of black flannel shorts and a tank top. It was surprisingly warm in New York. Marie slept for a good twelve hours before finally awakening.

The first thing she noticed when her brain flickered into operation was that there was a voice in her head. A voice that wasn't her own, it was a deep male voice and it was yelling. Yelling at her to be more precise. It was deafening.

"Where am I? What did you do to me? You're one of them aren't you? How dare you do this the me you filthy mutie!" It was Cody.

Marie didn't understand.

"Im sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't even know I was one. I'm so sorry." Tears were beginning to fall from Marie's eyes as she screamed her pitiful appeals to the room. The screaming in her head was getting louder and more painful.

"Help! Let me out of here. Let me out mutie. You can't keep me in here. Help! Someone help!" Cody was screaming, his voice filled with fear.

Marie was getting agitated at the voice and finally snapped.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!" She screamed will all her voice, only this time nothing came out of her mouth but erupted into her mind. Cody's pleas died away and became a low mumbling.

Marie opened her eyes and removed her hands slowly from her head. A dull ache pulsated through her brain. She shook her head trying to clear the fogginess that clouded her mind. The fogginess went away but the pain remained, standable but ever-present.

Marie stumbled around the room and hastily changed into some clothes suitable to be outside in with her condition and walked out into the glaring sun of the New York morning. Her stomach growled having digested all the nutrients from the night before, while she slept. She spotted a diner a few doors down and walked towards it, her head still aching.

'Food couldn't do any damage,' she thought.

She spotted a help wanted sign in the window and got an idea. Her funds wouldn't last forever and she might as well start saving.

She went inside and sat at the bar waiting to be helped. The waitress, a tall Hispanic woman with a constant gum-cracking problem took her order.

"Ya'll still lookin fer help?" Marie asked pointing with her thumb over her shoulder to the sign in the window.

The waitress looked at her wearily before calling over her shoulder.

"Yo Hal! We gotta taker on the job," the women then moved onto her next customer.

A tall stocky guy in a white tank top with a dishrag hung over one shoulder walked out from the back.

"Which one was it Sal?" he asked his voice deep and raspy. Marie raised her hand slightly and caught the cook's attention.

"You the girl?"

"Yea,"

"Well what's your name and why do ya want the job?"

"Mah names…" Marie paused she didn't want to use her given name. It was like digging up the past and rubbing salt in the still very fresh wounds. "Rouge and Ah need the job cause Ah jus got here and mah money's gonna drah up soon."

Hal looked her over once more and asked, "You fit in a small?"

Rouge blinked but nodded her head yes.

"Good," Hal disappeared for a few seconds then reappeared with a plastic bag that contained a uniform.

"Ya start at noon," Rouge nodded and paid for her food before leaving the diner plastic bag in tow, and going back to her room. She wanted to examine the dress before putting it on. God knows what may have happened while the previous owner had worn it. And when she took it out of the bag, it was stained and dusty, she threw it back in the bag and gathered up the clothes she had worn the day before and headed to the tiny laundry room in one of the ground floor rooms of the motel. As her clothes washed, she put on her headphones once more and flipped through a newspaper she had spotted on a chair next to her. She flipped through it reading all the black typed articles about mutant bloodshed and laws trying to be pushed through Congress aimed at stopping the mutant "problem" as the paper put it. One name kept popping up as a strong voice for mutant rights, Professor Charles Xavier.

Eventually the washing machine beeped and Rouge tossed her wet clothing into the dryer and booted it up. She turned another page of the paper and came across the classified ads for real estate. There were a few advertising available apartments in a three block radius of where she was currently staying. She decided to go talk to few landlords after her shift was over. The dryer beeped and Rouge glanced at her watch. She had a half an hour till she was supposed to be back at the diner. Rouge grabbed her clothes and rushed back to her room to change.

When she appeared at the diner a few minutes early she was wearing a pair of long black gloves along with the ugly yellow dress that 50's diner waitresses used to wear. It reached a little above her knee and under it she wore stockings and a pair of black Chuck Taylor's. She wanted to add a touch of flare to her otherwise drab outfit.

Sal looked up when she heard the bell over the door tinkle. Sal saw Rouge and simply shook her head. 'Only in New York,' she thought.

Rouge stood awkwardly off to the side until Sal waved her over and handed her an order pad and pen.

"It's easy enough. Write what they want or check it off if theres a box. Smile and don't forget about tables. Its bad publicity." Rouge nodded seeing two teenagers walk into the diner and take a seat at a booth. She walked up somewhat nervously and stood in front of them. She smiled bitter-sweetly.

"What can Ah get ya'll?" she asked.

The two looked at her strangely but gave her their orders nonetheless. Rouge promptly wrote them down and walked behind the counter to tell Hal the order.

Rouge wasn't a bad waitress having helped her mom in the diner at home. 'No' she berated herself. 'This is my home now.'

She got a few tips and by the end of her shift her feet hurt and was thankful that she had worn her sneakers and not some other less comfortable shoe.

The next morning, after another fight with Cody's psyche shortly after waking up, Rouge walked a few blocks to go talk to a woman about renting an apartment she had. The woman ended up giving it to her, if grudgingly. Rouge didn't look very reliable but being able to pay the security deposit and six months worth of rent in one day convinced her to at least give Rouge a try. The apartment was small but had a few furnishings in it like a bed, a range and refrigerator. The rent that she paid to the woman each month included utilities so bills weren't an issue.

A month went by and life settled into a pattern. Rouge worked during the day and had a life during the night. She shopped and went out with her fellow coworkers. She had a full stocked fridge and the darkness in her wardrobe was rapidly increasing day by day.

One night Sal and Kelley, the other waitress, invited her out for coffee at a local Starbucks and Rouge agreed. Somewhere along the way she ran into a girl, or should it be the other way around.

They were only a few blocks away from the shop when a tough looking Puerto Rican girl slammed into her as she walked by. The girl expected Rouge to be thrown off step if not knocked to the ground completely but instead it was she who was thrown and spun around. Rouge continued to walk away completely ignoring the loud rants of the girl. The girl was getting pissed at Rouge's ignorance and pushed Rouge from behind. Rouge spun around and looked at the girl.

"Don't evah touch meh," she hissed menacingly. The girl smirked and swung her closed fist at Rouge's jaw. Rouge leaned back and dodged most of the blow but the girl's knuckles grazed her uncovered cheek. That much flesh-to-flesh contact caused the girl to loose consciousness and the pull of Rouge's power to be activated and absorb some of the girl's life essence. Rouge cursed in her newly acquired Bronx accent and turned to see her companions slowly backing away, scared. Rouge cursed again before taking off down the sidewalk.

She burst into her apartment a few minutes later with a massive headache and another voice, this one female, screaming obscenities at her. She went into the bathroom and popped some Advil into her mouth. She swallowed pain reliever with the help of some water and strode into her bedroom. She got out of her now useless waitressing outfit and climbed into a pair of black jeans and a black tank top with a green sheer shirt underneath. She left her gloves off because she was alone and walked into the kitchen to get another glass of water. She was in the process of filling the glass when there was a knock on her door. Rouge cursed lightly under her breath and ran into her bedroom to get her gloves and slipped her feet into her black boots. The knock came again.

"Ah comin'. Hold yer frickin horses!" Rouge pulled the door open. Before her stood two NYPD officers.

"Miss Rouge?"

"Yes officah's? How can Ah help ya'll?"

"We're here to arrest you for your assault on a Miss Shalis Rodriguez."

"Ya have got ta be kiddin me. She swung at meh. Ah didn't touch her." The two men cuffed her none too gently and proceeded to walk her down the stairs and onto the street.

"Aren't ya supposed ta read meh mah rights?"

"You ain't got no rights ya mutie."

"Oh so yer one a those cops." Rouge rolled her eyes and sat in the back of the patrol car quietly fuming. She figured if they hated mutants then talking would only cause her more problems. A few minutes later they arrived at the station and Rouge was carted off into a cell. She was offered a phone call but turned it down seeing as she had no one to call.

Rouge spent the night on a hard bed shivering and having a verbal battle in her had with Cody and Shalis. She was terrified but refused to let her captives see her fear, so she hid it behind her stony exterior.

The next morning a warden rattled the bars of her cage, waking her. She sat up and the warden opened the door. Rouge looked at her suspiciously. She didn't need to be tricked into escaping unintentionally, on top of everything else that was happening.

"Someone posted bail mutie. You're lucky." Rouge walked out of the cell and into the main part of the precinct. Before her was a bald man in a wheelchair with a short gruff looking man standing next to him.

"Good morning Rouge. My name is Professor Charles Xavier…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Yah're the guy in all the newspapers?" Rouge asked a little confused.

"Yes Rouge I am. I was wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me and my associate Logan." The professor indicated the short gruff man.

Rouge stifled a laugh to the very inappropriate joke that was bubbling inside her.

"Uhh…Suah."

The three mutants walked out of precinct and down the steps. They walked to a nearby park.

"I have school in Upstate New York where young mutants such as yourself are taught to control their powers and to have a life among people like themselves. Not only do you learn to control your magnificent powers, you also train to improve yourself and become what my other students have been called, The X-Men. We are modern day superheroes, pretty much. For example, I am a telepath and Logan here has an amazing healing factor and claws. I was wondering since seeing your current predicament, if you would like to come and join us. You will have a room and food and friends like yourself. You will be able to have the semblance of a teenage life."

Rouge quietly listened to the bald man taking in what he was saying and contemplating it. The idea of friends and control appealed to her but she enjoyed being on her own.

"If Ah go with ya will Ah be forced ta stay there if Ah don't lahke it?"

"No Rouge you won't. If you give the school a chance and you really do not like it then you may leave."

Rouge nodded. "Well then Ah guess Ah could give it a try."

A few hours later the three were just outside Bayville. The black X-van pulled up to an ornate gate and Logan leaned out the window and punched in a code. The gates opened and revealed a sprawling estate, with large green lawns and athletic fields to one side of a massive mansion. The van pulled up to the house and Rouge got out of the car. She slung her bag over her shoulder and waited for the Professor to go ahead of her.

The professor opened the large mahogany front door and Rouge walked into a spacious foyer with a staircase to one side, a door directly in front of her and open room next to her. She looked into the room and saw a few teenagers some older and some younger lulling around. One caught her interest. She had short black hair and was dressed in a red corset and black pants. She was pale and was currently sitting in a corner with a book and some headphones in her ears.

The girl looked up and stared at the Professor, she nodded, marked her place in her book and turned off her music. She stood up and walked towards the Rouge and the Professor. It was then that Rouge noticed Logan had disappeared off somewhere.

"Ah Wanda. Thank you. This is Rouge she'll be staying with us for a little while. She'll be rooming with you so please show her to your room and help her settle in." Wanda nodded again.

She glared at Rouge who glared back just as sternly. Wanda's face brightened a little and she turned around. Rouge followed her up the stairwell and turned right down a hallway at the top. Wanda walked down the end of the corridor and opened the last door.

"Here's the room," Wanda said, her voice level and with no emotion.

"Obviously," Rouge said sarcastically in her thick southern drawl.

In the room were two beds, one messy and looked like it hadn't been made in ages, the other new with fresh sheets and properly made. The room was dark, there were heavy black curtains on the french doors that led onto the balcony. The walls were white but covered in pictures, posters, etc. There was another door on the wall opposite the balcony.

Rouge walked into the room after Wanda and dropped her bag on the floor near her new bed.

"Balcony," Wanda pointed to the curtained doors, "Bathroom," She indicated the other door with her head.

Rouge nodded and bent down to open her bag. She looked at the bed disapprovingly. She pulled out some sheets from a bedspread she had bought in New York. They were black and green. Wanda looked at her strangely before walking to the stereo that was in the room and turning on the cd player. System of a Down pulsed through the air in the room and Rouge began to nod her head to the beat of the music as she started stripping the bed of its white coverings. Wanda watches Rouge for a few seconds before walking over and stripping one of the pillows of its pillowcase and replacing it with a green one of Rouge's.

The process of redoing the bed didn't take long when it was two people making it. Petty soon Rouge's bag was empty and Rouge's side of the room looked as homely as a dark girls room could look.

A bell rang through the building. Wanda looked at the clock on the bedside table and groaned.

"Dinner," she said annoyed. She walked to the door and out into the hallway.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"It is unless you like loud noises and persistent food throwing," Wanda grumbled. Rouge nodded and followed down the stairs and into an unseen hallway and into the dining room.

There were a dozen other people sitting around a large rectangular table. Wanda took a seat and waved Rouge to one across from her. When the two girls walked in everyone turned to look at the new girl. She looked up at them and glared. She didn't like being examined.

"Can Ah help ya'll?" she bit at them.

"Uh…who are you?" A boy with red sunglasses perched on his nose.

"Rouge," she spat, "Now stop starin at meh,"

The edge in her tone of voice warned off any comment form the rest of the peanut gallery.

A tall girl with red haired walked into the room through a swinging door, carrying a big pot of spaghetti and bowl of sauce and a few containers of grated Parmesan cheese. Rouge looked hungrily at the food. She hadn't eaten all day with the exception a candy bar on the ride up to the mansion. Rouge dug hungrily into her food. She was about to bring a forkful into her mouth when the dining door opened and in walked a tall boy a few years older then Rouge. He had red brown hair, close to the shade of Rouges; he was lean and muscular but not bulky. He had a strong jaw and stubble on his chin, but he made it look good. But the thing that Rouge noticed first were his eyes. He had the most mysterious eyes; where the normal white should be, was black and instead of a brown or blue he's was red. It was like looking into the face of the devil.

Rouge quickly stuffed the spaghetti into her mouth noticing Wanda's amused expression. She glared at her, and the new boy.

"Nice you to join us," Shades said tersely.

"Shove it Scott," The shaded boy, now identified as Scott, sat with his mouth hanging open until the red head sitting next to him said something Rouge couldn't hear. His mouth shut with a snap and looked sternly at the boy before turning back to the red head and his food.

The boy walked up to Wanda and patted her on the head.

"Touch me again Cajun and I'll severe your hand from your body." Wanda said, a smile playing on her face.

The boy looked at Rouge and his eyebrows raised. He slipped into a chair next to Rouge and put his arm awkwardly around her shoulders. She turned and glared acidly at him.

"Remove your hand." He did. "You touch me again and I'll severe something else. Got it Swamp Rat?"

Remy stared wide eye at her.

He quickly scooted his chair a few inches away from her and concentrated on his spaghetti. Wanda laughed. The evening progressed as such. Rouge and Wanda talked.

After dinner was over Xavier called Rouge to his office. Rouge sat in the comfortable suede armchair slightly nervous, not knowing what the bald guy wanted to talk to her about.

"Rouge you will be starting school on Monday at Bayville High School. You will be a junior and I have scheduled you to be in the same classes of Wanda." He explained. Rouge scowled. She didn't want to go back to school, to many opportunities to hurt people. Rouge walked out of the office and stomped out into the hallway.

"Chere? Whats wrong?" Gambit asked nearly running into her.

"Bugger off Swamp Rat," Rouge spat, leaping up the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Monday morning was bright and cheery. Rouge hated it. The alarm in the girl's room buzzed at 7am so that there was enough time to get ready. Wanda beat Rouge to the shower, further souring Rouge's mood. So instead of waiting around for a half an hour, Rouge walked down to the dining room to grab some breakfast.

Rouge too tired to realize that she was wearing only a pair of very small shorts and a sports bra, walked into the noisy room and approached the table. She took a seat and grabbed the coffee pot just as Scott's hand reached out for it. She ignored his protestations and poured herself a cup. She added milk and sugar and sipped the beverage gratefully. She sighed as the comforting warm and the awakening caffeine ran through her veins. She picked up a bagel from the tray in front of her and spread it lovingly with cream cheese. She drained the last few drops of her coffee from the cup and stood up intending to go claim the shower when Remy walked in and raised an eyebrow when he saw her.

"Ya tryin ta giv Remy a heart attack dis early in da mornin chere?" Remy grinned and winked at her.

"Put yer eahe's (eyes) back in there sockets Swamp Rat." Rouge snapped before brushing past him and proceeding to her room.

By the time the students were all ready to leave, they had approximately ten minutes to get to a school that was fifteen minutes away. Rouge, Wanda, Remy and Scott took Scott's car, while Jean, Evan, Kitty, Kurt all climb into Jean's SUV.

The bell must have been late because all the mutants made it to their homeroom classes in time. Rouge and Wanda sat in the back corner of the room while a tall blonde woman with a too tight shirt and a too short skirt explained to the juniors before her about the school rules, schedules and their lockers. All the while Wanda and Rouge completely ignored her, each engrossed in there own activity, Rouge reading and Wanda doodling on a scarp of paper she had found on her desk.

The day went by slow and tediously. Rouge, Remy, Wanda, Kitty and Kurt were all in the same lunch, there being two of them. They all sat at the same table and all conversed about the evilness of the students, teachers and lunchroom food. After lunch, Remy followed Rouge and Wanda into gym and they were all sorted into the same class, much to the dismay of Rouge and the pleasure of Remy. Wanda didn't really care.

The last bell rang allowing the students to rush the hallways and exit into the warm fall air. Wanda and Rouge stopped by their lockers to stash away their many books before heading to the parking lot and catching a ride with the rest.

The students got home and the quiet mansion was once again full of noise. But as the mob entered the rec room they were stunned to see a two new mutants sitting and watching tv. One had fiery orange hair and the other was tall and built.

"John, Piotr wha' ya doin' 'ere?" he asked, slapping hands with his old buddies.

"We have come to stay for a few weeks, my old friend. Our house must be rebuilt." Piotr shot a frustrated look at John.

"De firean' finally burn I' down did 'e?" Remy joked.

John simply grinned; Remy rolled his eyes and sighed.

In the doorway a cough was heard and Remy looked at the group of kids behind him. He beckoned them into the room.

"Dese are me ol' buddies. John controls de fire and Piotr 'ere can turn t' steel."

The crowd still looked apprehensive, well all but Rouge and Wanda. The many students of stone standing in front of them blocked their way into the room. It was only until the statues turned to wood after Remy's introduction, were the two girls able to push past and claim a couch for themselves. Remy watched as Johns head snapped around to watch the progress of the two girls, his eyes never leaving the backside of Wanda. As the two girls turned to sit Wanda zapped a nearby potted plant that flew at John who narrowly ducked it.

"Keep your eyes to yourself, ya perv," Wanda directed towards him as Rouge smirked at the inconvenience of the boy, now on the floor.

Remy introduced the girls as "Wanda, de scarlet witch and Rouge, m' girlfriend" that brought a "In yer dreams Swamp Rat" from Rouge.

"Oi. Yer so much more den dat ma Chere," Remy said with a wink, his voice husky.

Rouge glared at him then continued her conversation with Wanda about the indecency of teenage boys. The two soon tired of the noise of the teenage filled Rec Room and decided to retire to their room to work on homework and stew in the despair that is the world, living up to the stereotype that was given to them by society. But just as they exited the doorway, a book that Kitty had been reading seconds before came in painful contact with the back of Johns head.

"Oy I wasn't doing nothing," he shouted at Wanda's retreating form.

"Just making sure," She yelled over her shoulder as the two girls mounted the stairs.

Months went by and school progressed as the two girls thought it would. They were regarded as the girls to be scared of. They were nightmares for their teachers but surprisingly good students. They always did their homework and did well on their tests. They were just nightmares in the class themselves. They never paid attention and were always talking to each other. When the teachers tried separating them by putting them on opposite sides of the room, paper ball notes or airplanes were thrown when the teacher's backs were turned. They teamed up when confronting a problem. The teachers were less then mediocre and the girls knew it. They exploited it, making the teachers look like incompetent asses.

A shout of "Why do teachers give so much damn homework!" was heard through the door that lead into Rouge and Wanda's bedroom one Friday afternoon. For answer "Your teachers apparently," was heard as the door opened to the room.

Wanda shut it forcibly with a hex bolt as the two figures in the door were pushed back out into the hallway.

"No knock, No entrance."

A knock was heard on the door before it opened again. Wanda hexed it shut again, increasing the scorch mark on the wooden door.

"We didn' say ya could come in." Rouge said from behind her Algebra II book.

A second knock was heard but neither girl made any move to allow the intruders access into the secret world that was the room of resident Goths. Minutes past and the knock came again. Then another, and another. Finally the two girls were fed up with the noise and grinned at each other as they said in sugary sweet voices.

"Come in,"

The door opened to reveal the forms of John and Remy both smiling and examining the room.

"Welcome to our room, now get out we have work to do," Wanda said.

"Ya been workin' f' an hour. We're 'ere ta give ya some res',"

The two girls rolled their eyes and closed their books. Wanda's was history, her worst subject so she was happy to close it. The two boys dropped onto a bed each. John on Wanda's and Remy on Rouge's.

Rouge who was on her bed too, tried to push the trespasser off her bed but gave up after a few seconds. She was too tired from waking up so early and was sitting in the wrong position to accomplish the feat. Wanda didn't even try to move John; she was sitting at the desk anyway.

"So how do you plan on entertaining us exactly?" Wanda asked, eyeing the boys suspiciously.

They shrugged their shoulders. They hadn't come with a plan, just to hang out. They were bored. John eyed the tv/dvd combo the two girls had in the room.

"What dvd's ya got?" John asked.

Wanda pointed to two small racks on the top of her and Rouge's dressers. John squinted at them; they were too far away to see from where he was. He groaned.

"Oy can't see, Rem you look,"

"Nah, Remy too comfy," Remy replied muffled by a pillow he had managed to snatch and snuggled deeper into it. Rouge rolled her eyes and got off the bed, taking her pillow with her. As she passed Remy she hit him on the head with it. He grunted and looked blurry eyed at her. She simply grinned and threw the pillow back to where she was sitting just before. She pulled a movie from her rack and popped it in the dvd player and climbed back into her bed.

Then next two hours were spent laughing and hanging out. Eventually the dinner bell was rung and the four piled out of the room and headed down to the dining room. Tonight was burgers and salad with the exception of Kitty who had a veggie burger.

As the meal ended Logan walked in.

"You guys got a training session so suit up and be down to the danger room in ten," he grunted to the students. There was a collective groan from them as they all stood up and put their dishes in the economy-sized dishwasher. The group headed to the elevator and all proceeded into their respective locker rooms and lockers. Remy and John, who decided to join their practice session saying he needed exercise, tried to join the girls in their locker room. But needless to say they didn't succeed. Rouge and Wanda made sure of that. Rouge grabbed Remy by the front of the shirt and throwing him out of the room physically. John ran out of the room of his own freewill but was clutching his bottom having just had a hexbolt strike it.

The team was assembled in the large room minutes later all in their uniforms prepared for the torture Logan was about to dish out. When the last member entered the room, the surroundings immediately began to morph into a large dense forest. Logan's voice echoed through the forest.

"This is very simple. I'm not sure why Chuck wants you to do this but you're going to play a simple game of hide and seek. Shade's you're it. You're to count to 100 and the rest of you are to hide. This is an exercise in concealment so make it count. If anyone is found within ten minutes then you start over, got it? Begin," and the intercom buzzed off.

Everyone looked skeptically at each other but Scott sighed resignedly and leaned up against a tree, closed his eyes and began counting. The rest of the Xmen blinked then scattered each seeking a suitable to hide and not be spotted.

Rouge looked around and spotted a large oak tree with plenty of foliage to hide in. She quietly ran over and scrambled none too gracefully onto its lower branches. A whispered chuckled from above caused her to start and loose her balance but a glove hand shot down and steadied her.

"Thanks Swamp Rat," Rouge mumbled.

"Remy's pleasure, ma Chere." Rouge glared at the Cajun above her.

Rouge simply rolled her eyes and continued to climb upward trying to conceal herself. She sat quietly glaring at the ground, silently praying that Scott didn't walk under her and look up. Logan would never forgive her if she was the first caught.

Wanda and John had sprinted off together in the same direction and soon came to a small cave whose entrance was concealed par tally by rather pointy bush. After fighting the bush the two clambered into the opening, which was smaller then the two had surmised. They were practically on top of each other…not that either of them minded.

Jean, being the red headed blonde, ducked down behind a bush a few yards away from where Scott was counting and hoped silently that she was invisible.

Kitty found a bramble bush that was partly empty in the middle so she phased herself into through the bush then phased partially into the ground so that she was able to successfully hide herself.

Piotr being the large boy that he was too found a cave larger then the one that Wanda and John had found and covered it's mouth with a large rock that he had spotted. He sat in the darkness and let his mind wander, but for some reason a certain brunette kept popping up in his thoughts.

Kurt had it easy, he simply teleported to the top of pine tree and hung upside-down by his tail.

Evan found a large lilac bush and hid inside it, seeing as it was massive.

Scott finished counting and opened his eyes, he instantly spotted Jean and Evan but not really wanting to redo the session decided to look around and ignore their presence. He walked close to a large oak tree and heard a whispered argument going on. He recognized the accents and decided to avoid the spot for the time being. He then walked by a cave that was partially covered by a bush and was positive he heard muffled laughter reverberating out of it. He walked past, not looking in or acknowledging that he even suspected people concealed in it.

Several minutes later, having walked through the forest extensively, he walked up to the lilac bush and shot a short low voltage blast at it. A cry was heard from within it and out stumbled Evan nursing a burnt forearm.

"Dude! Did you have to shot me?" Evan cried indignantly. The rest of the forest remained quiet and once again Logan's voice echoed through the forest.

"If you've been caught you can go to the locker rooms and change." Before logging off the intercom fully the students heard him grumbling about the session being wimpy and not violent in the least.

Evan stalked off into the clearing and disappeared as he left the program and entered the locker room to take a shower and nurse his poor arm.

Scott next walked behind Jean quietly and grabbed her around the waist. Jean shrieked and whipped around. She came face to face with her beau and smiled.

"Im out aren't I?" she asked perkily. Scott nodded and Jean pouted. Scott kissed her quickly and let go of her waist. Jean smiled and skipped off to the locker room to change.

Scott didn't even have to look to find Remy. As soon Jean had disappeared and Scott had torn his eyes away from where she had been, he heard a loud thump and looked over to see Remy sprawled on the ground under the tree and heard him shout, "Now dat wasn' very nice chere" and a return shout of "Ah ain't yer chere!" was heard in a distinct Mississippi accent.

Scott rolled his eyes and walked over to where Remy was now sitting up. He tapped Remy with his foot and said cheekily, "Your out Gambit." Remy picked himself up and brushed the nonexistent dust off his backside and sauntered off. Scott looked up and was met by a scowl and a glare from Rouge.

"Ah'm the only one allowed ta be mean ta him," she spat as she jumped from the tree and landed gracefully and stalked off to the changing room.

John and Wanda are found next only because obvious peels of laughter rang through the forest, leading Scott to their location. He again sent an optic blast into the cave, driving its occupants out of hiding. John laughed maniacally and Wanda scowled, she punched him hard in the arm as she passed.

Scott spent the next half an hour looking for Piotr, Kurt and Kitty but had no luck in finding them. Eventually Logan boomed through the wood, "Session over. Good job Half-pint, Elf and Colossus." Logan had come up with a name for Piotr yet.

So everyone that was left exited the Danger Room as the program shut down and all changed out of their uniforms.

Rouge, Remy, Wanda and John all once again congregated in the girls room, and hung out before they all seemed to doze off. Wanda and John lying normally on Wanda's bed while Remy lay on his back at the foot of Rouge's bed with Rouge's stocking feet on his chest. It had taken several hard kicks from Rouge to convince him that tickling them was not a smart idea.

The group was awoken next morning by the alarm on Rouge's alarm clock. She was a very heavy sleeper and could sleep through almost anything…keyword almost. Rouge, Wanda, Remy and John's eyes shot open as the sound of Hilary Duff's voice blared through the air. Rouge's arm shot towards the bedside table and forcibly knocked the offending appliance onto the floor thus turning it off. All present sighed in relief. Rouge blinked and her stomach growled, but not only hers, three others growled too causing a comical noise. The group laughed.

"Ah'm hungry,"

"Remy too chere,"

"Lets go eat,"

"But Ah don't wanna move. Ah'm comfy."

Remy attached himself to Rouge's lap and said before she could respond.

"So is Remy,"

Rouge glared at him and shoved him off her. She stood up and glanced at herself in the mirror.

"Ugh! Ah look lahke crap."

"Non chere, you look belle."

"Oh shut up Cajun!" said Rouge, turning away from him to hide the blush that quickly darkened her cheeks.

'What am ah doin? Stop…Ah shouldn' be blushin. He's just a dumb swamp rat!' she internally chastised herself.

The voices in her head began to stir again.

"What is he blind? You're not beautiful you're an ugly mutated hag!" Cory shouted.

The others agreed with him.

"Shut up!" she yelled at them, but it didn't work, not only did they only shout louder but now her friends were looking worriedly at her.

"Shut up…it's not true." She yelled again. They continued to berate her, flinging names and insults at her. Tears began to form in her eyes and her voice was starting to grow hoarse as she yelled loudly at the voices. Her friends simply looked at each other not really sure what was going on. Finally Wanda stood up and cautiously approached the troubled teen.

"Rouge?" she asked placing her hand carefully on Rouge's shoulder. Rouge no longer being able to hold back her tears turned into her best friends chest and sobbed. She felt so helpless, the hostile voices still yelling at her and her hopelessness getting the better of her. Wanda wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged her, whispering words of encouragement and comfort to her friend.

After a few minutes the voices began to laugh at her, thrilled that they had been able to get past her guard and hurt her. Rouge grew angry; she didn't like being laughed at. Especially by random voices. She gathered up her rage and screamed. The screamed seem to deafen the voices, shock them enough so Rouge had time to once again rebuild her wall.

Rouge's breathing evened out and she picked her head up and looked around. She glared at the boys who looked at her pityingly.

"Out," she directed towards them.

The boys looked at her and each other. Wanda nodded her head; Remy and John sighed and stood up. As Remy passed Rouge he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Rouge had to use all her will not to burst into tears again. As the door closed quietly Rouge took a step back and walked into the bathroom, leaving Wanda looking worried.

"Hey Rouge…you okay?"

Rouge stuck her head out of room and opened her mouth, intending on telling her something but thought better of it and closed her mouth. She simply nodded instead before pulling her head back.

The day passed by while Rouge had herself hold up in the library listening to Killswitch Engage and reading the latest Anne Rice novel. She had locked the door started a fire in the fireplace. She was doing all she could to ignore the jealousy and depression that was growing in her heart. While in the bathroom earlier she had finally admitted to herself that she had feelings for Remy. It had only taken her three months.

It was around seven when Rouge's stronghold was finally penetrated, thanks to everyone's favorite master thief. Rouge's heart leapt when he sauntered in but her scowl stayed in place.

"There was a reason the door was locked Swamp Rat."

"Remy knows," Remy answered smugly. He shoved Rogue's feet off the couch and stole their spot.

"What do you want Cajun?" Rogue sighed.

"Well Remy has manage' t' convince Bald' t' let us go t' da club t'night seein' as 'ow it's Saturday an' all. An' Remy wan'ed t' know if ya was intreste'."

"No thanks," was the answer.

"Aw but Remy wan's ya t' come. Get ya mind off w'atever's wrong."

"Theres nothin wrong Swamp Rat,"

"Course dere is chere. Wh' else would ya be sad?"

"Will ya leave meh alone if Ah say yes?"

"But o' course m' belle chere,"

Rouge rolled her eyes, "Fahne Ah'll go…now leave."

Remy winked at her and said, "If dat's what ya really wan'…"

Rogue glared at him. He stood up and walked to the door.

"Ya know m' ears are always open righ'?"

"Yea Ah know,"

Rogue finished the chapter she was reading, turned off her cd player and turned off the gas to the fireplace. She walked out of the room and down the hall to her and Wanda's room. Wanda was already there changing and Rogue changes also.

About a half an hour later the pair descended the stairs and accompanied the waiting boys into the garage. Inside were two motorcycles, one bright red with orange flames and the other black with cherry red spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs.

"When did we get these?"

"I've had mine since before I came and Remy just got his like last week or something. Payment for a job he did, right?"

Remy nodded.

Rogue and Remy climbed onto Remy's bike while Wanda and John mounted John's, and they were off. It took the group around twenty minutes to reach the club they were searching for. A bright black light sign spelled out the words Nightstar, and a large line had formed at the door. Rogue groaned. She had not dressed to be waiting in November weather. Remy threw his arm around her shoulders and said,

"Fear not m' chere."

Rogue glowered at the arm and aggressively shook it off.

Remy walked up to the bouncer, a larger man pretty much busting at the seams because he was so ripped. Remy handed the man several one hundred bills and miraculously the man opened rope allowing them access.

"What no carding?" Rogue asked.

"No' when yer wid me. Jus try no' ta get too trashed alright?" Remy joked looking at the lot of them.

The four spotted a table in the back and claimed it as their own by sitting around it. Rogue looked at the dance floor and immediately knew coming here had been a bad idea. Everywhere she looked there were people dancing closely, touching, happy couples getting wasted and making out in booths. Rogue was so jealous she wanted to hit something but she restrained herself.

"Ah need a drink," Rogue stated sighing slightly.

"Remy'll come wit ya,"

"Fahne, Whatevah"

Rouge and Remy approached the bar and found a spot to squeeze in and place their orders. The bar tender made them quickly and took the money that the two presented. Rogue downed half her rum and coke in one shot after having noticed Remy beginning to flirt with a scantily clad little blonde girl next to him. Rogue went back to the table to find it deserted. She whiled away the next several hours rejecting dance offerings and getting more and more buzzed until she was finally full-blown drunk.

Rogue spotted Remy dancing amongst a ring of pretty girls and she grew jealous, but the alcohol she had consumed stopped her normal inhibitions. She walked onto the floor, pushing the girls out of her way. She flung her arms around Remy who turned around startled and came face to face with a slack-faced, slightly queasy, very dangerous Rogue. Her words were so slurred and the music so loud that he couldn't understand her. Worried, he took her off the dance floor and led her back to the table.

Rogue's eyes became unfocused and she grabbed her head as the room began to spin. Remy squatted in front of her and tried to get her attention but she didn't notice. Just then Wanda and John appeared, having seen Remy leading Rogue off the floor.

"What's wrong?" Wanda asked.

"I tink she be wasted," Remy shouted so she could hear. "I tink I better brin' 'er back to da mansion."

Wanda nodded, as did John.

"Me and Wanda'll bring the bikes home, you grab a cab. I don't think she can ride."

"Why yall talkin abou me lahke ah aint here?" Rogue said drunkenly.

"Remy's gonna take you home Rogue. Your drunk."

"Ah ain't drunk, just…just…" Rogue grabbed her head again as the room began to spin once more.

"Dat's it, up y' get" Remy said as he lifted the drunk girl to her feet. He let go and she swayed and would have fallen if Remy hadn't steadied her. The four walked to the door and when on the concrete sidewalk hailed a cab. One stopped for them, Remy helped Rogue in before getting in himself.

Rouge sat with her back up against the seat until Remy joined her then she let her head fall onto his shoulder, he didn't seem to mind. She mumbled and dozed off before jerking her head and waking herself back up.

It was a little after two in the morning when the taxi pulled up to the gate of the mansion. Remy removed Rouge's head from his shoulder, waking her, to climb out of the car and punch in the code, praying that no one was awake, and climbed back in. The gates opened and the taxi pulled up in front of the building and sat idle as its occupants disembarked and was paid, before driving off to go service another drunken couple back in the city.

It wasn't until they were outside the front door that Rouge finally passed out; Remy barely caught her seeing as he was currently unlocking the door. But he scooped her up bridal in his arms and gently pushed the door open with his foot.

'Nex' time dis 'appens Remy hope da fille be awake.' Remy thought as her crossed over the threshold.

They were lucky; no one appeared to be up. The foyer was empty and no one walked out of any of the rooms as he passed through the entrance hall and up the stairs. Remy made it to Rouges room and shifted his parcel slightly and opened the door. He walked into the pigsty that is the girl's room and walked over to the bed that he knew to be designated to the unconscious girl in his arms. He gently placed her on the bed and pulled her sheets over her before tucking them in around her. He fluffed and rearranged her pillows lovingly. It was then that a black book fell off the bed and landed open at his feet. He bent down to pick it up and put it back but his name on the page screamed to him. He examined the page and found it to be a diary entry, Rouge's diary, and from the time stamp she had left, it was from earlier that morning just after the incident in her room. From outside the room he could here someone approaching, and knowing that being caught in the situation was not a smart idea, he dashed to the french doors and out onto the balcony. He grabbed a hold of the edge of the roof and swung himself up onto it before dashing a few yards, jumping and landing lightly on his own balcony and into his room. He didn't realize until he was back in his room that he had unconsciously taken the diary with him.

'Must be the thief inside me,' he mused, he scrutinized the battered black book, 'To look or not to look,' he asked himself. He tossed the book onto his black and red coved bed before jumping onto it also. It must have been by sheer chance that the book landed open.

AN: Ah the beautiful end to another glorious chapter…what will our conflicted friend do…as it says…To read or not to read?…Well you'll just have to tune in for the next installment to our story. TTYPL…

-Fatalbluesweetie


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The book was like something forbidden, something that you longed to delve into but were afraid of the consequences. Here sat the one thing that will uncover all the secrets of the one person that he truly desired, not just desired, couldn't live without. But yet he hesitated to read it, to read the thoughts and feelings that no one but her knew. Was he really as low to actually read it? To break her trust like that? But on the other hand there was a very good chance that he could return it without her ever finding out.

The decision was made for him, at least momentarily, when the door slowly eased open. Remy startled, hastily shoved the book under his sheets as John walked into the room. He's eyes were half closed and he was mumbling.

'Mus' be ex'aus'ed.' Remy mused. Remy stifled a yawn with his hand and closed his eyes for a second.

It wasn't until then that he started to contemplate why Rogue had acted so out of character.

'Ma'be it was jus' dat time a dee month,' had Rogue heard his thoughts just then he probably would have hit him for the comment.

Remy being as tired as he was, reached for the concealed book, closed its pages and placed it on his bedside table. He was so tired and all he really wanted to think about was sleep, he'd decide what to do with the book in the morning.

Rogue woke up the next morning with a headache equivalent to that of drinking a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (AN: kudos to you who know what that's from, to those of you who don't, look it up). She opened her eyes a sliver and instantly regretted it. The sun was up and bright and the curtains over the french doors were open. She quickly snapped her eyes shut again but not before Wanda noticed her lack of a regulated breathing pattern.

"Theres a glass of water and some aspirin about a foot away from your right hand," she whispered. Rogue grunted in gratitude and sat up, her eyes still closed but her head swam anyway. She reached out tentatively and found the glass of water, she was able to catch it too, before more then half of its contents end up on the floor. She found the aspirin on the table beside the water and popped it in her mouth, the water washed it down. She waited several minutes before she even thought about moving again, and when she did, it was only her eyes that flickered open. The sunlight befuddled her for a few seconds but she soon got her bearings back. She groaned and held her head, but shortly after felt a strong sensation in her bladder. She pulled herself out of bed and made a rather, hilarious too all but her, mad dash to the bathroom.

After relieving herself, she walked a bit more steadily out of the bathroom and changed out of her crumbled clothes that she wore to the club the previous night and into a pair of sweats and a long sleeved t-shirt.

Wanda stood up from her desk at which she was doing her last minute homework,

"Im going to get some lunch, you want anything?"

"Lunch?" she mumbled.

"Yeah, it's a little after one,"

"Really? No Ah'm okay. Ah'll get somethin latah."

Wanda nodded and left the room.

Rogue, remembering everything of last night, well at least up until the point where she passed out in front of the front door, walked to her bed and reached under her pillow in search of her diary, she didn't find it.

Rogue's heart dropped into her stomach. That black book had everything in it, everything! Every feeling she'd had since she left Mississippi. She had gotten the book from a rest stop the night she left. She tore her bed apart, but to no avail, it wasn't there. She went through the drawer from her bedside table, nothing. She remembered using it last in the bathroom yesterday morning and dashed into it, she tore through all the drawers and cabinets but it wasn't there. It didn't hit until just then that she might be in deep shit if someone found it and flipped to the back inside cover.

"Shit!"

She proceeded to tear the bedroom apart, her side and Wanda's. When she was finally satisfied it wasn't in the room, she flung the door up and ran down the hallway and down the stairs into the kitchen where she harshly questioned the occupants.

"Where is it? Which one of ya asshole's took it?" she questioned loudly.

"Uh…Rogue like what are you like talking about?" Kitty asked confused.

"The black book that was in mah room, which one of yah scumbags took it? Ah swear when Ah fahnd out who did it, there wont be enough of the body left ta identify if they ever fahnd it,"

She stormed out of the kitchen and into the rec room. She questioned them the same way. Only this time her explosive nature got the better of her and when the occupants of the room denied any knowledge of the black book, she screeched and slammed her fist into the wall, the sheetrock caved and she left a hole the size of an angry girls fist.

It was at that exact moment that Remy decided to make his grand appearance. He saw the scared expressions of the kids in the room, and a girl so angry she was practically crying with her hand stuck in a wall.

"Chere?"

"Ya took it didn't ya?"

"Took what Rogue?"

"Ya did, didn't ya? How dare ya, ya asshole. Where is it? Where the fuck did ya put it? If ya read it Ah swear ta god Ah'll kill ya." She screamed so loud Remy could almost feel the building shaking. Remy was bombarded by emotions, her emotions. Her hatred and pain was so strong that he couldn't stop his empathy power from picking them up. He staggered back from the force of them.

"Rogue, Rogue! I don' know wha' your talkin about," he managed to get out. Inside Remy's head he was screaming at himself. He knew that she was going to react like this, he knew and still he read it and didn't put it back. His heart was ripping open as another wave of her pain and sadness hit him. He realized how much it meant to her and he how much of an idiot he had been.

He had spent the morning reading the black book, from start to finish. He knew about Cody and how he was still in her head. He knew about her time in New York and her loneliness and hidden depression. He knew about how grateful she was to be here and having Wanda, him and John. He knew about her feelings for him and he knew about the affect her powers are having on her mental stability. As Rogue feared, Remy had turned to the inside back cover and had found the little black pouch that had her razor sharp blade in it. He knew of her scars on her skin and her heart. He knew this all and regretted taking the book now because of what it was doing to her.

"Tell m', wha's wrong? Wha' did I take? Ma'be I can 'elp you find it?" Remy asked.

Rogue took a deep breath trying to calm down. She didn't want to do this, not to him, not to the one she loved. She took another deep breath and calmed down a bit, at least enough to stop from shouting.

"A black book, its mahne and Ah need it back,"

"Okay, well where 'ave you look' for I?"

The wall of tears that Rogue had been fighting to keep back finally cracked. Tears slowly began to leak out of her eyes. She brought her blood covered hand to her face and ran out of the room.

The occupants of the Rec. Room stayed quiet as they all stared at either the hole in the wall or the pained Remy, who just stood there stupefied. Remy turned and dashed out of the room after his friend and caught up with her half way down the hallway to her room. She was on the floor in a heap, crying.

She hated it, she hated crying, feeling weak. This was the second time in two days she had been reduced to tears and she despised it. She didn't hear Remy approach her from behind and barely registered when he kneeled down beside her and wrapped his arms around in her in a hug. She leaned into him and cried harder. She cried with everything she had. She cried for all the times she had wanted to but had never let herself. She cried for everything that had happened in the past five months or so. She cried the pain that her mutation had caused her, she cried the teenage things she was going through. She cried till her eyes hurt.

She looked up from her position on the floor and saw the demonic eyes of Remy. She sighed and shook herself. Remy felt the tears stop and looked down at her.

"Feelin' bette'?"

"No" Rogue answered morosely.

Remy stood up and set Rogue on her feet,

"Come on, le's go look in da room one more time. Mayb' ya missed it 'cause ya was so frantic,"

"Okay," was all Rogue managed to get out. She wiped her face with her hands removing the last remnants of the moisture from her face.

Remy took hold of her gloved hand and started up the hallway to the girl's room. Rogue followed, more because she had to rather then because she wanted to. Remy stopped in front of the door and flung it open. He almost gasped when he saw the carnage inside.

The bed was thrown aside, mattress and all. Her lamp was shattered on the floor, the shade askew. All the drawers in the room were open with things spill over the tops of them and onto the floor. The balcony doors were open and a strong wind seemed to have come through whirling things about. The bathroom was a mess, things scattered the floor.

Remy took a deep breath before heading into the room, dragging Rogue with him.

"Okay Chere, pick a co'ner an' start lookin,"

Rogue sighed, knowing it was no use, but humored the Cajun heartbreaker anyway.

The next twenty minutes was spent shifting piles from one place to another in search of the allusive diary, well in Rogue's case shifting piles and in Remy's straightening things and putting them away.

"Ya know Chere, if ya clean up in de process, den ya might find it quick',"

Rogue just grumbled in response and shifted another pile.

It wasn't until Remy had started to fix them bed that he subtly took the diary from the inside of his trench and placed it inside a pile of sheets and blankets that were strewn haphazardly.

He stood up, leaving the book in its hiding place and strode over to the overturned mattresses.

"'ere Chere, 'elp Remy wid dis,"

Rogue looked up from the pile she had just been examining and walked over to the other side of the bed, the side that the diary was hidden near.

"On t'ree lift", he said "one…two…t'ree" and the two lifted the mattresses and placed them back on the frame. She bent down and pick up a pile of sheets to toss on top of the bed, but when she picked them up a black book tumbled out and landed open upside-down on the floor at her feet.

She was in shock, she hadn't really expected to see it again, her life, her most treasured possession. Her eyes water but she blinked back the tears of surprise and happiness that threatened to fall, she had cried enough and wouldn't let another drop escape her eyes.

She bent down and picked up the book, feeling the cold of the hardcover against her hands, she brought it up to her face and saw that it had landed open on the page that recounted her first trip to the institute, meeting Remy and Wanda. She smiled, genuinely smiled. She had been happy that day, even if she didn't actually feel it then. That day had filled her with hope, and just remembering that day, a small flame of hope enlightened her heart. She didn't know why but she figured that all this bad had been happening to her, she was bound to get a little good somewhere.

She closed the book and sat down on the still unmade bed, closed her eyes, and took a deep calming breath. She opened her eyes again and looked over her shoulder at the boy that was leaning against the wall, smiling at her, a real smile not one of those detestable smirks he always wore.

"Ah'm sorry Rem, Ah shouldn' have accused ya with out facts. And thanks fah helpin' meh look, Ah really appreciate it,"

Remy's heart clenched when he heard that last part, it was his fault it had gone missing in the first place.

"Twas Remy's pleasure mon ami,"

Rogue's heart throbbed a tad, 'mon ami,' she thought. 'That's all Ah am ta him,'

"No offense or nothin but do ya mind leaving. Ah kinda wanna be alone," she asked.

Remy smirked at her and bowed to her before walking to the door and flinging it open, and striding out.

Rogue sighed once more, but stood up and walked to her untouched stereo and cd's. She selected a cd and popped it into the cd player, pressed play and turned around to examine the amount of damage that was left to repair, all the while clutching the beloved diary to her chest. There was still a lot of work to be done, so the rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning up her mess. No one approached the room, not even Wanda, for fear of the rather enrage Rogue (Remy hadn't told them all was calm. He figured she'd want peace and quiet. Well at least not any interruptions because the volume of the music had people that walked past her door covering their ears as to not go deaf).

AN: Hey guys, Fatal here. Hoped you liked it, sorry it wasn't as long as the other ones but they'll get longer I promise. Yes I know it was angst ridden. I think I might have to change the category but whatever, there should be more laughs coming in the next chapter…expect that in the next week sometime. So review if you want. I appreciate hearing from people, makes me feel special, so review if you feel up to it and I'll talk to you guys later…

-Bye for now

PS. I don't own X-men or anything…although I really wish I did…Remy's sooo yummy.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Part 1

The next week went by with snail-like slowness. For Rogue, school seemed to last forever and the mansion felt suffocatingly small. Wherever she went, there was always someone with her. All she wanted was to have some peace to herself, but that wasn't likely to happen. She had taken to scoping out the building for likely hiding places. Her only respite from the occupants of the house was at night when everyone else was sleeping. She would sit out on her balcony or on the roof, wrapped in a big comfy blanket or sweatshirt and write in her little black book and breathe in the fresh air and meditate.

It was Logan, surprisingly, who had suggested that she start meditating, to stop the voices in her head. Rogue didn't know how Logan had found out but deep down inside she was glad that he was concerned for her. She had never had a father figure with the exception of the dirt bag boyfriends her mother used to bring home and we all know they weren't what a growing girl needed, but Logan…Logan was pretty close to what she needed and wanted.

So every night she spent about two hours awake and alone, thinking, writing, breathing, living…all the things she needed right then and there.

It wasn't until Saturday morning that the doorbell rang and Rogue answered it. The second the door was ajar the strangest sensation came over the girl, as if someone was pricking her with thousands of tiny needles all at once. Rogue shivered slightly but looked up to see two people standing just before the threshold. The first was a woman who looked to be in her mid thirties but had the look about her that she had seen too much pain in her rather short lifetime, and the second was a young boy who seemed to be no older then ten at the most. He was a strange pale greenish color and was sweating profusely, only it didn't look like normal bodily fluid he was secreting, it was thicker and slightly yellow.

"Can Ah help ya'll?" Rogue asked.

"We're here to see Professor Xavier, please," the woman replied in a haggard voice.

"Suah, follow meh. It's just down the hall,"

So Rogue led the two down to the office that belonged to her mentor and knocked,

'Come in," was heard through the wood.

Rogue obeyed and opened the door, ushering the guests in.

Rogue closed the door and walked back to the rec room where she had been before. She felt strange but she couldn't place it. She flopped back down on the couch she had been sitting on before her journey to the door and sighed. She closed her eyes and suddenly it hit her, why she felt so strange. They were gone. There was no more pressure on her mind, no more psyches trying to take over, no more internal fights. She probed her mind to make sure they were gone and not simply hiding in order to give her a false sense of security.

She had obtained several more psyches over the course of her stay in the institute. Many of the mansion's occupants now had a place in her head, along with several of the Brotherhood due to several skirmishes.

But they weren't there any longer.

Rogue took hold of her head on instinct and Remy who was sitting next to her noticed.

"Ya okay, Chere?"

"They're gone Remy. The voices, they're gone."

AN: I know it's really short but it's been a crazy week/weekend and I doubt I'll be able to post anymore until after the holiday…so this I'll have to do

-FatalBlueSweetie


	7. Chapter 6 part 2

Chapter 6 Part 2

That night at dinner all the mansion's occupants, sans the Professor were sitting around the table, the talk mainly of the strange prickling sensation they had all felt at various times throughout the day. Many had discovered that their powers were no longer working, then began to urge others to test theirs. A few things were discovered about their fellow mutants due to the negated powers; Scotts eyes were a light sky blue and with out his powers Remy's eyes turned from black and red to white and so dark a brown it was almost black.

You dear reader would assume that Rogue would be thrilled that she could once again touch, right? But no she wasn't. She wasn't thrilled or happy or excited. She was scared and nervous and anxious, she was down right terrified. She wasn't exactly sure why but the idea of her greatest wish being fulfilled was too good to be true. She was scared it was a dream and that she'd have to eventually wake up and fall back into reality.

So she sat at the end of the table and stabbed morosely at the sad little baked potato that sat mutilated on her plate in front of her.

Remy who was sitting next to her, noticed her current melancholy and as an effort to comfort her put his arm around her. She stiffened immediately, feeling his touch.

"Remove it Cajun, or Ah will," she growled.

Remy sighed audibly and did as he was told but still didn't understand why she was still so hostile.

"Remy still don' know wh' ya so uptigh'. Ya should be 'appy, ya can touch again."

"Lemme alone Swamp Rat," Rogue sighed. She stood up intending to go throw her poor baked potato in the trash and retreat back to the safety of her room, but the Professor rolled in. He gave Rogue a look and the girl sank back into her seat with her arms crossed and a scowl etched on her pale face.

"Good evening everyone. I have an announcement to make," The Professor said in his slow calm voice.

"Oh goody" Rogue mumbled under her breath.

Professor Xavier smiled at the sullen girl.

"We have a new student. I'm sure you've all felt the effects of his mutation. His name is Dorian and he has the power to negate the mutations that manifest from those who carry the X-gene. He is young but we accept all here. So for the next few weeks, all of you may be able to live as normal teenagers, at least when you are around the mansion, when you are at school I'm afraid you'll have to be aware of your powers. Dorian is currently upstairs settling in and saying his goodbyes to his mother." Xavier then rolled over to where the other teachers were communing and began to eat.

Rogue's hands had found there way into her lap as the speech went on. She was flexing her fingers, wondering what it would be like to live without the fabric barrier once more. She sighed and stood up once more.

Remy and Wanda turned and looked up at her, still seated.

"Ah'm…gonna go take a showah. And Ah'm not suah whah Ah just told ya'll that."

"Can Remy join ya, Chere?"

"Stuff it Swamp Rat," Rogue said, not meaning it at all.

So Rogue tossed her garbage and went upstairs. She took her shower, being comforted by the warm water that knew no evil. The warm water washed away the day and the grim that had stuck to her during the some odd hours since her last.

Time passed and the water grew cold forcing Rogue to leave her comforting hold. She stepped out of the bathroom wrapped only in a towel, to find her friends in her room. She walked into her room fighting a deep blush, but she wasn't going to let these interlopers intrude on her space. She was too stubborn for her own good.

Gambit's eyes widened as Rogue walked out of the bathroom in a small fluffy dark green towel. She walked past her bed and over to her dresser without even acknowledging the others presence. He enjoyed the show, 'No wait dat sounded wron'. Ahh but it be so tru.' He grinned as his eyes traveled over her. She bent down, almost teasingly over one of her drawers and pulled out some clothes. She stood up slowly and reposition her towel, Remy sighed inwardly, 'If only da chere would turn 'round an do dat.' Rogue turned back around, a few articles piled in her arms and stepped behind the changing screen she and Wanda had purchased earlier that month. The bottom of the screen ended just below the knee and was black silk covered in gold and silver Chinese characters. Rogue changed as Remy watched her legs.

Rogue knew he was watching.

"Remy, yer worse then Miroku," making a reference to a show they both watched.

"Ay! Remy ain't dat bad!" he cried indignantly.

She stepped out from behind the screen in shorts and a tank top, with her hand on her hip. "Ya wanna bet?"

Remy sighed, "Ya win, Remy's a perv, but your belle body ain't makin' it no easier on mor' ol' me," he said grinning.

Rogue suppressed a blush but rolled her eyes.

"Move yer fat butt off mah bed, Rem. Ah'm tahred and Ah wanna sleep."

Remy sighed dramatically before rolling off the bed and landing sprawled on the carpet. Rogue laughed and stepped on her friend's back as she climbed onto her comfy bed. Remy grunted and groaned.

"Ya heavy Chere, ya should lose some weight," he said as he picked himself up. She punched him in the gut, "shut ya mouth,' she snapped, smiling.

Remy yawned widely.

"Remy's going to bed too. Goodnight kiss Roguey?" he asked sweetly.

"In ya dreams Swamp Rat." Rogue said.

"Oh ya give 'im much more den dat dere Chere," At that comment, John and Wanda who had been watching in amusement laughed and Rogue groaned.

"Just go ta bed," she sighed.

"Care ta join Remy?" he asked sly.

"No!" she snapped.

Remy shrugged his shoulders. "yer loss," he said, bowed, and left the room. Rogue rolled her eyes and fell back onto he pillows.

"I'm going to bed too. Logan's giving us an early DR session, for smoking in our room."

"Smart boys," Wanda commented while Rogue simply laughed mirthfully.

The girls said their goodnights and John left. Rogue was too tired to stay up waiting for the night owl to fall asleep tonight like she did every night. So instead she popped on her headphones, and opened her black book to the next fresh page. And she wrote. She got lost in her feelings and her words. The next time she looked up, her cd had ended and Wanda had turned off her light and was sleeping peacefully. Rogue closed the book and placed it back under her pillow before hunkering down into her pillow nice warm blankets and falling asleep.

She slept peacefully for several hours before a dry mouth and empty stomach woke her. She glanced blurrily at the red iridescent numerals on her alarm clock, they read a little after one. She closed her eyes once more but her stomach rumbled painfully again. So her eyes opened once more and she grudgingly sat up. She rubbed her eyes and slipped out from under her blankets. She shivered in the early morning chill and tossed on a hoodie she found on a chair and walked down to the kitchen. She pulled the fridge door open and was momentarily blinded by the light. She blinked furiously until she got her vision back the grabbed the milk and a banana from the fruit bowl on the counter. She leaned against the counter and ingested her food. She yawned widely once more, placed her glass in the sink and her peel in the trash before walking back up to her room. She didn't make it.

She was looking down at her feet and never saw what she ran into until she had already collided with it. She grunted and looked up.

"Sorry Rem," she mumbled.

"Is alrigh' Chere."

Rogue rolled her eyes as usual.

"Whah ya call me that Cajun?"

"Why do ya call Remy Cajun, Chere?" he asked almost mockingly.

"Cause it's what ya are. Yer from New Orleans. So yer Cajun." Rogue explained having missed the fact that Remy's question had been rhetorical.

"Well ya be a dear."

"Oh yeah? Ah have absolutely no redeeming qualities that put me in the category of a 'dear'. She said.

"Sure ya do. Remy's Chere be sweet an lovin', fun ta be 'round, willin' ta help an'one an most of all she be belle." Remy said seriously as he tucked a stray lock of white hair behind her ear.

Rogue didn't even try to fight the blush this time.

"Ya mean it Rem?" Rogue asked quietly, looking at her feet.

"Remy wouldn' say it if it ain't true" he replied softly, placing his fingers under her chin and raising her face to look into his. Even in the dark and without his enhanced night vision, Remy could see that Rogue was a deep red. He stepped closer to her and wrapped her in a large, loving embrace. She seemed to curl up into a ball against his firm but soft chest. She hugged her arms to her chest but leaned into the boy. She breathed in his scent, a mixture of cigarette smoke, cologne, and spice…she almost melted. He smelled marvelous.

She burrowed deeper into him and he tightened his hold on her. She looked up into his lowered face.

"Yah comfy and yah smell good," she said smiling, unembarrassed by her bluntness. Remy chuckled deeply.

"Ya fit perfectly in Remy's arms," he lowered his face to her hair and inhaled deeply, a wave of jasmine hit him.

"And ya smell good too," he said huskily.

"Really?" Rogue practically breathed.

Remy only nodded and looked her in the eyes longingly, deeply, as if he could see into her soul through them.

He slowly lowered his head towards Rogue's upturned face. He searched her features for a hint of fear or anxiety but all he found was joy and expectations. He still lowered his head until their lips were mere centimeters apart.

"Rogue" he breathed huskily.

"Yes Remy" she exhaled right back, and Remy's lips caught hers in a sweet, loving caress.

The simple kiss lasted mere seconds in reality but in their world it seemed to last a lifetime.

Their lips separated reluctantly and Rogue's eyes fluttered open once again.

"Thank you" she whispered breaking from his grasp and running up the stairs to her bedroom before he could see the tears that had begun to fall.

AN: Im sorry it took so long but I wrote it over the weekend and it took me forever to write it. I don't really like how it began so I MIGHT change it but here it is now so read and enjoy and review if you wish.

-Fatalbluesweetie


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot line.

AN: Yes I know this is late being posted do I figured I'd give you readers a few chapters to make up for it… So enjoy it and review. I enjoy reading what you have to say.

-Fatalbluesweetie

Chapter Seven

The dash to Rogue's room seemed to take ages. She was so immensely happy but also in such a state of disbelief that she didn't know what to do. It was like the flood gates on her emotions had burst and everything was pouring out of her in an overflow of tears. She quietly snuck back into her room not waking Wanda.

As she paced around her room her hands were frustratedly tangled in her sleep tossed hair. She didn't know what to do. All it was was a kiss, why was it affecting her this way. It wasn't like it was her first. It was her third, technically.

That was it! Remy had reminded her of Cody. The kiss had reopened the scar that that whole event had caused. She stopped abruptly from her pacing and looked up, wiping the tears from her face.

She needed to do what she had done when that had happened. She needed to get away, to think and she wasn't likely to be able to do that where she was.

She strode over to her open wardrobe and pulled out the bag that she had run away with last time and began to stuff it full of clothing and other necessities for a few days. She grabbed the money that she had saved out of her underwear drawer and changed into something more street appropriate.

She grabbed her bag and her black hoodie and walked out onto the balcony. Her room was only on the second floor so it wasn't much of a drop. She dropped her bag over the railing and followed it seconds later, landing on her feet. She picked up her bag and walked off the grounds of Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters.

The bus station was all the way across town. When she eventually reached the ticket window, the first rays of the sun had streaked the sky pink.

"What can I get you?" the woman behind the smudged and water stained Plexiglas window asked.

"A ticket to New York City," Rogue said, pulling her money out of its hiding place. The gloves rubbing against her bare skin was a reminder of what her time just after Cody had been like. She handed over the correct amount and accepted her ticket. The bus was scheduled to depart within the hour. She had been lucky; the bus after didn't leave until that afternoon.

The bus was boarding when she found it in the line up. She handed over her ticket to the stile and found an empty row towards the middle of the bus. Since it was so insanely early by Rogue's standard she wasn't surprised when there weren't that many people going to New York.

The ride took only a few hours, which passed by alarmingly fast when one is immersed in a good vampiric romance and a soothing cd set to repeat.

It was a little after nine am when the bus pulled into the Bronx Bus Depot. Rogue was sent upon with a major feeling of déjà vu. As she stepped off the bus she once again flung the bag over her shoulder and walked. She wasn't completely sure where she was going to go but she remembered the key that she had flung in her bag when she was frantically stuffing it earlier. There was a slim chance that her landlord had saved it for her…she had paid the rent to include this month.

She readjusted the bag to a more comfortable position and headed down the few blocks that separated her from her destination.

When she reached the building she tried the key in the main door and it worked. She was slightly surprised but suppressed any sign of it and walked in and up the stairs. When she reached the door to her once apartment that she called home, she stood staring at it for a few seconds, remembering everything that had happened the last time she had been in the city.

She fumbled with the little brass key as she stuck it in its appropriate niche. She slowly twisted the handle and pushed the door when it gave a bit. The sun shown through the cracked windows, glimmering off the swirling dust that floated in the air.

It was exactly as she had left it, a mess from her last hasty sweep of the place when she decided to go to Xavier's with him. The glass was still in the sink, the wardrobe's doors were still flung open, and the garbage still sat in the can, only way smellier this time. She walked into her home and dropped her bag on the mattress that lay on the dust-covered floor. It was uncovered because she had taken the sheets with her to the mansion. She walked around inspecting everything. The first thing she did was bundle the garbage and toss it out her window that was right above the open dumpster, it was really quite convenient.

She spent that day making her abode livable once again. She went to the bodega that was next door and bought some things to fill her empty fridge and walked a few blocks to the home store where she bought new sheets that just happened to be black and red. She washed the sad little glass that had been sitting in her sink for the past five months. The day was coming to an end as Rogue lay on her bed with her hands behind her head, looking at the ceiling, thinking.

The kiss was really the only thing that floated around her mind, well that and Remy. That kiss had pretty much been the proof she needed to confirm that he had feelings for her, strong feelings, and that she felt the same. That kiss had cemented them.

But nonetheless she had runaway from them. Rather then staying there and confronting Remy, which was the sensible solution, she had followed what her rampageous teenage hormones had instructed and she vanished into the night. She knew she would eventually have to go back and face everything and everyone but right now she wasn't ready to face it all. It was all to soon, to fresh, to unknown.

Meanwhile back at the institute…

It wasn't discovered that Rogue had skipped town until mid-morning. Wanda had woken up to find her roommates bed empty but had assumed that she had woken early and gave it no further thought until the team had all congregated for an exercise out on the front lawn and Rogue didn't show up.

Logan then stalked into the mansion and asked Charles where the devil she was. Charles who knew she had left but didn't want the entire population of the school tearing after her, did a quick mindsweep to satisfy the enraged man and felt it was only right to inform him.

"Logan, I believe that our Rogue has left town. From the disturbance I picked up on last night I believe she has had an overload of teenage hormones and simply needs time to work things out. I do believe that she will be back so please don't go after her, it will only complicate matters."

Logan looked dumbstruck, "Wait she ran? She ran away? Why dammit? What the hell happened? An overload of teenage hormones you say?" The would-be flames in the wolverines eyes blazed when he worked out what "an overload of teenage hormones" meant.

Logan was at the door to the office in no more then two steps and back out on the field with the rest of the kids in about twenty (which was quite a small number if you really think about it). He had a infuriated scowl on his face and when he got to the Cajun, he grabbed him the back of his trenchcoat and dragged him out of earshot of the others.

"What did you do Cajun?"

"Remy no' sure what ya mean?"

"What happened last night between you and Rogue, ya dumbass?"

"Remy don' see how dats any of yo business mon ami."

"Dammit Cajun, She's run away you idiot. She ran away because of whatever the hell you did to her!" That last sentence was loud enough to be heard by the rest that were staring after the pair intently.

Wanda's jaw dropped, she dashed to the two men. "What do you mean she ran?"

"She's gone, girl. Flew the coop or whatever the hell it is."

"But the Professor he must know where she is. He'll tell us and we can go get her."

"Not gonna happen, Scarlet. He's under the impression that she's just working things out and that she'll come back on her own."

"Oh," was all she said. She was really worried but she knew that Rogue was tough and could take care of herself. Hell, she'd done it before.

But Remy wasn't satisfied, he was under the impression that their kiss had scared her off and that he had to fix things, which wasn't it at all. He detached himself rather roughly from Logan's lax grip and practically flew to the front door.

He knew that she had a pad in New York, the Bronx in fact, but that was all he knew. She didn't give an address and he now knew why. He ignored the Professors urgent summons in his mind and grabbed a bag from his room that had a change of clothes and his wallet before he was out the door that led to the garage. He hopped on his bike and was out of the gates in almost no time.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Not mine…tear tear

AN: Another of my owed chapters. Read, enjoy and review.

-Fatalbluesweetie

Chapter Eight

The ride wasn't as long as it should have been since Remy broke most of the set traffic laws on the way. He arrived around noon and having been able to cool his head a bit on the ride, figured he would need a base of operations before he ran around the Bronx looking for a girl who didn't want to be found.

He came upon a conveniently placed Motel 6 and pulled into the parking lot. This particular motel happened to hold a certain amount of significance to a teenage mutant with white striped hair. Remy sauntered into the office and put down cash for a weeks rental. He wasn't sure how long the search would take but he would find her. He had to. His room was on the second floor. It was modestly furnished with a lumpy bed, a small table and a chair, and a TV that looked like it was from the 70's.

Remy's search for his elusive love started with the search for the informants he used to have when he still worked for his father as a thief. It took a while to track a few of them and none of them admitted to having seeing the girl in the picture Remy showed them.

So he took his search to the local diners and convenience stores. A few of the people he questioned pointed him in various directions but all of the leads ended in dead ends and brick walls. He sauntered into one diner where the tall hispanic girl behind the counter informed Remy that she had worked there a few months ago and had had an apartment a few blocks away but she wasn't sure exactly where. It was way after midnight when Remy finally admitted defeat for the day and went back to his room for a few hours of shuteye before he got back on the horse and went on the offensive again.

Meanwhile…

The evening was uneventful. She took some of her spare cash and decided to splurge and went to go see a movie that was playing downtown. That took up a few hours of her time and got her mind off of everything that had happened.

She knew she needed to go back. She wasn't being fair to her friends. Wanda and Remy must be worrying about her. She hadn't left a note or anything, after all.

But she did enjoy being here. It was a little slice of freedom, a place where she didn't need to worry about danger room sessions, feuding housemates, lines for the bathroom, and late night encounters.

Although the mansion gave her that sense of family she missed after she had run away the first time. She had been so lonely, so secretive, so not herself when she had been here. When she was home, it was like there was a veil lifted. Sure she appeared hostile and even unstable at times, she was always herself around her friends. Wanda, Remy and John had seen more of her then even her family back in Mississippi. She had always been careful what she said when she was there, always afraid that something would go wrong or she would screw up and things would go downhill even more. Her life there was so unstable, even more so then at the mansion.

At least there she had parental figures, Professor X, Logan, Ms. Munroe, and Dr. McCoy. They were all more parents to her then her mother and the guys she brought home ever had been. Deep down she knew they never really cared for her. She was just another mouth, another waster of water and electricity, and another waste of money.

But that wasn't an issue at Xavier's. He genuinely cared for the people that ended up on his doorstep. He always had an extra bed and an additional place at the dinner table, and an unwavering feeling that even the worst of people could be reformed to be good eventually.

She needed to go back. That much was certain. The only question was when?

She couldn't go back tonight. She had missed the last bus and the trains had stopped running for the night. She'd have to wait till tomorrow morning at the earliest.

It was after midnight when she finally returned home from the theater. She collapsed onto her mattress and pulled out her book. She wasn't exactly tired but she wasn't awake either, more like a stupor or a daze. She eventually fell asleep with her nose in her book and woke up the next afternoon to the sound of cars honking and people on the streets cursing.

She was ravenous. While munching on some Cap't Crunch (her favorite) she figured out what she would do today. She had decided last night before she fell asleep to keep paying the rent on the apartment. It was nice place to get away from it all and could come in handy again in the future. After she finished eating and putting her stuff away, she slipped a few months rent into a random envelope she had lying around and slipped it under the door of the landlady's apartment marked as rent for her apartment. She went and did a little shopping; she had some money to burn. She seemed to have a knack for picking rich targets. She spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the little boutiques and examining the wares of the street venders.

It was a little before eight by the time she had repacked her rucksack (it was a bit of a squeeze to get everything to fit) and headed for the train station. She was kinda sick of taking buses; she wanted a change. She caught the car as it was about to pull out and found a seat in the back. It was Saturday night so it was really crowded everyone going home from whatever they had been doing in the city.

The train pulled into the Bayville station a little after one in the morning. The train station was closer to the mansion then the bus was so it wasn't as far a walk back. She was in the gates when the grandfather clock in the rec room chimed two AM. As she walked up the lawn towards the side of the mansion that housed her balcony she was greeted by a kindly voice in her mind. "Welcome back Rogue it is good to see you unharmed and in a better state of mind."

Rogue simply smiled and climbed up the lattes that was next to her balcony thanks to the gardening lover Ororo. She was as quiet as a mouse and tried the door but wasn't surprised to find it locked. Wanda always locked the door before she went to bed, a kind of nighttime ritual. But she had left the window next to them unlocked, it was strange but that was how Wanda worked. She quietly lifted the pane of glass and stuck her head in to check for people laying in wait and all that. There was no one in the room except Wanda who was sleeping somewhat peacefully, she was mumbling unintelligibly. The bag was the first thing to enter the room, she dropped it soundlessly to the side so she wouldn't step on it or trip. Next was the rest of her body.

She was almost through when her foot caught the edge of the window and she lost her balance. She stumbled back and hit the dresser knocking things askew and waking Wanda. She in fact shot up in bed when the scattered projectiles hit the floor. Rogue is flat on her back, laughing hard. She would always be clumsy when it was imperative that she not be.

Wanda recognized her thanks to the beam of moonlight that was shining on her.

"Rogue thank God! Where the hell have you been?"

"Where do ya think? New York," Rogue said accepting the hand that Wanda offered her and stood up.

"That's what I thought. My God girl you look exhausted. Go to bed this instance and we'll talk when you wake up." Rogue let out a massive yawn and did as she was told.

Rogue woke up around noon due to the fact that there seemed to be a large loud crowd around her door that Wanda was trying to disperse, loudly. Grumbling she pulled herself out of the warmth of her bed and threw open the door.

"What the Hell is goin' on out here?" She yelled getting the attention of the mob.

"We just wanted to see if it was true that you were back." Bobby whined.

"Well obviously Ah am now scat,"

"Did Remy find you?" It was Jamie who asked.

From the blank look on Rogue's face it was apparent he hadn't.

"What're ya talkin about?"

Wanda grabbed Rogue's arm and dragged her into the room slamming the door behind her. There was a crunch and a thud and a whine from Bobby of, "I think she broke my nose,"

"Remy went to New York the morning after you left to look for you. I guess he didn't find you," Wanda explained.

"Obviously," Rogue sighed rolling her eyes. "He really is an idiot,"

She stood up and looked around, she hadn't had time to unpack last night. She walked to her bag and pulled out some of the new things she had bought and changed into a dark green v-neck sweater and a pair of jeans and exited the room.

Her audience was gone, probably went to the infirmary to see about Bobby. She shook her head and started for the Professors office. She needed him to help her with something.

She knocked lightly on the door and was given admittance immediately.

"Good morning Sir. Ah was wonderin' if ya could do meh a favor," she asked politely sitting down in one of the chintz armchairs that were positioned in front of his desk.

"Anything my dear," he said smiling kindly, his hands folded on the desk.

"Do ya think ya could do a mahnd sweep or somethin ta look fer Remy? He went lookin fer me apparently and still thinks Ah'm in New York."

"I'll try surely."

And he did. He steepled his fingers the way he does when he concentrates and closed his eyes, searching the surroundings for a sign of Remy's brain waves but he didn't find them. His brow furrowed and the lines around his mouth tautened and deepened.

After several more seconds the Professor opened his eyes and looked concerned.

"I can't seem to pick up any signal from him but don't fret my dear," for it looked like she was about to, "we'll locate him with Cerebro."

Rogue stood up, her fists clenched in anguished and gritted her teeth. The only thought that was flowing through her head was, 'He's dead. He has to be dead. Oh God I killed him!'

'Im sure he's fine. We'll find him.' Was projected into her head as Professor X passed through the door she held open for him.

Rogue's brain didn't calm down, not even when they were inside the chamber that housed Cerebro. Even as the helmet was sitting on the Professors head she was convinced that he was dead and it was her fault. Not until X said,

"He's in the Bronx at a Motel 6. He's alive and well if only a tad bit anxious for your safety."

Rogue sighed in relief and dashed from the chamber yelling, "Thank ya!" over her shoulder.

She ran right to the garage. Thanks to Remy and Logan she had learned how to hotwire a bike and proceeded to demonstrate her skill on Scott's precious Harley Davidson.

Scott heard the roar of its engine to late to stop her and watched sorrowfully as she speed down the driveway and out of sight.


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Alas I don't own the genius behind this show.

AN: The last of the owed chapters…Enjoy. And from now on I'm back to at least one chapter a week.

-Fatalbluesweetie

Chapter nine

It was early in the afternoon when she roared into the familiar motel parking lot. She turned off the bike and walked into the office. The man behind the counter was the same man that she had payed last time only now he was asleep in the chair, snoring noisily. She tried various methods to wake him but none worked so she leaned over the desk and found the registration book. It wasn't kept remarkably well but it was marked that a Remy Lebeau was staying in room 23 until the next Friday. She put the book back and walked behind the man to grab the spare key to room 23.

She walked out and up the stairs keeping her eyes peeled for a door with the numbers 23 screwed to it. The room was at the end of a hallway. Rogue approached and knocked lightly at first then when no one answered or even acknowledged her she knocked louder. Still no sounds.

She tried the doorknob; it was locked. She took the key from her pocket and stuck it in the keyhole.

Upon opening the door she found it was dark and empty. The curtains were drawn so the only light came from the hallway. She switched the light on just to make sure that it was really empty and that she hadn't gotten the wrong room. She could tell from the smell of spices and the bourbon bottles on the table that it was defiantly the Cajuns room.

Seeing the bed she decided to surprise Remy the next time he came into the room. She turned out the light and lied on the bed, 'How often is he going to find a strange girl in his bed?'

The darkness of the room and the scent of Remy on the pillows lulled Rogue into a doze. She didn't wake up until a few hours later when she heard a key scratching at the keyhole. She tensed instinctively then relaxed when she saw the familiar form of Remy in the doorway.

"About tahme Swamp Rat. Ah been waitin fer hours."

Remy's form tensed but Rogue reached for the lamp next to the bed and switched it on. Light poured into the room and Remy loosened up when he saw her lying there on his bed.

"Tis good ta see y' 'gain Chere. Been far too long."

He took a step towards her and enveloped her in a large tight hug. He sighed and said "It really is good ta see y' 'gain Rogue. Remy's missed ya."

"Good ta see ya too Rem. Now lets ga home."

They gathered Remy's scarce belongings and headed for the bikes in the parking lot. They roared into the driveway a little before ten at night, much to the relief of the adults and Wanda.

When they entered the mansion they were confronted by an irate Wanda.

"So you leave again? When am I ever gonna be allowed to go on your little adventures huh?" she directs at Rogue. Rogue threw her hands up in fear of the wrath of the Scarlet Witch, and laughed.

"Ah'm sorry Wanda. Next tahme Ah promise Ah'll take ya with meh."

"You better!" she said laughing, "Or…or I'll do something dastardly, I swear!" she too was laughing at this point and Remy was just smirking in the corner.

Wanda grabbed Rogue's wrist and dragged her up to their room. After tripping up the many stairs and stumbling down the many feet of hallway (she was being dragged rather fast) they rushed into the room to find it occupied already.

"Dammit Johnny what did I tell you about being in here with out me. Its her room too ya know," Wanda said pointing at Rogue who was standing next to her with her hands on her hips.

"Aww…but Sweetheart Oy missed ya and couldn't wait ta see ya."

"So why didn't ya go looking for me? I was in the rec room ya tart."

"But Oy didn't know that and Oy knew you'd have ta come back here sooner or later."

Wanda threw her hands in the air and groaned.

"Ya know what! Whatever just don't do it again, got it?"

"Yes my punky poo." John said smiling innocently.

"And don't call me that! You sound like Toad!" John blanched and shuddered, which caused Wanda to laugh. She walked over to her side of the room and kissed John lightly on the lips in passing.

By this time Rogue and Remy had watched the exchange with mounting fascination. But the kiss was the last straw for Remy who burst into speech while Rogue simply walked around the room with a large grin on her face, finishing the unpacking she had started before she left to go find Remy.

"So's Remy ta take it dat you two's are goin' out now or somet'ing?"

Rogue looked up from folding a pair of jeans and said, "Well Duh! Ain't it obvious?"

Remy just rolled his eyes and walked over to Rogue's bag. "So ya need some 'elp?"

Rogue looked over her shoulder from the wardrobe, "Uhh sure whah not, ya'll can help too if ya want," she said acknowledging the pair sitting on the bed making out.


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men.

Chapter Ten

A few months passed, Remy decided not bring up the topic of the kiss for fear that Rogue might run away again. Rogue refused to bring up the subject because a small part inside of her still feared that if she did, she'd learn that what she thought about Remy was wrong and that he really didn't have any romantic feelings for her and she didn't think she could live with the letdown. She'd rather live without knowing.

But the three months after the kiss didn't pass dully by. Wanda and John became almost as close as Siamese twins; the former acolytes are still living in the mansion and have decided to join up with Xavier and the X men after having witnessed first hand the cause that the students and instructors were fighting for. Dorian has remained at the school and he has been learning control of his negation powers. It's now possible with a little concentration and the help of a bracelet for the students to use there powers again, much to the dismay of Rogue. She had enjoyed being able to live like a normal (or as close as Rogue can be to normal) teenage girl, at least at the mansion. Rogue too had been working on controlling her power. The Professor discovered that if Rogue absorbed a little of Dorian's life essence every few days it helps her to control the voices and make them less hostile.

A fresh sheet of snow covered the ground as Valentine's Day inched closer. Due to Kitty and Jean's obsession with the holiday, the mansion was soon covered with cheesy paper cherubs, large pink hearts and various other valentine memorabilia stuck to the walls. Rogue and Wanda wretched every time they passed one and within a week began ripping the eye sores off the walls and tossing them out. Remy and John found the whole thing rather amusing. Neither had much of an opinion on the subject however. To Remy it was a day to pick up chicks that were desperate enough and John thought it was the holiday to overdose on those stupid little candy hearts with the corny messages on them.

The week progressed and it became almost unbearable to walk through the hallways of Bayville High. It seemed like everyone was coupling up. It sickened Rogue, or was it jealousy…nah…it was definitely illness.

The night before Valentine's Day Rogue was awakened by a disturbing dream that involved Remy, her and a Jacuzzi. No matter how hard she tried over the past three months, she couldn't stop herself from having the accursed dreams. Rogue, too scared to try and go back to sleep, ended up in the kitchen. She was in desperate need of the pint of Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream that was hidden in the back of the freezer.

She plopped down in a seat at the table; her thoughts wandered back to her dream. No matter how much she tried to dissuade herself from that way of thinking she yearned for those dreams to be a reality, for her and Remy to be a reality.

So lost in the mental reliving of the dream, she didn't feel the tears begin to make paths down her cheeks. She was finally pulled from her thoughts when a glowing pink bottle cap landed in her ice cream and the ensuing burst of energy splattered her with the cold confection.

The red numbers on Remy's alarm clock ticked slowly by as the Cajun lay on his bed thinking of the Southern Belle he had almost had. His mind whirled around and around, always stopping for a few brief seconds on the kiss that was always somewhere in his mind. He soon grew frustrated with his lack of control over his own brain and sat up in bed. In his aggravation he charged the alarm clock and chucked it across the room, causing it to smash into the wall and breaking. He stood up and walked out of the room, clothed in only a pair of boxers (AN ::swoon:: ).

After wandering the hallways looking for something to do, he walked past the danger room doors and stopped, back stepping until he was directly in front of them again. 'No' a bad idea, exhaust m'self til I can finally sleep.' Remy thought as he pressed his hand on the pad that read his imprint and opened.

It took Remy a total of maybe seven minutes to realize that his idea might not pan out as he thought. He had picked a rather hard computer simulation level that had put him in a deserted back alley surrounded by ten heavily armed and rubber suited men.

The second the simulation started and Remy reached for his cards, only to remember that he was still in his boxers and hadn't brought them with him. 'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' Remy shouted in his head.

He knew escape was futile but he never went down without a fight and took out five of the ten, before the other five got him pinned to the ground.

Rogue's head snapped up, the ice cream hiding the tears that were dripping down her face. Her surprised expression turned into a glare almost immediately.

"What the hell was that for, Cajun?"

"Remy's sorry, Chere," He sighed, grabbed a napkin from next the holder next to him and walked it over to her.

"Here" He brought the napkin to her face and began to wipe the ice cream away. Rogue's cheeks darkened, she snatched the napkin away and hastily wiped away the tears.

Remy sighed and took the seat across from her, taking a swig from the frosty bottle clutched in his hand. The silence between them lengthened as he drank his beer and she ate what was left of her ice cream, the occasional sniffle escaping her.

Finally the awkwardness was too much for Remy and he spoke,

"Why ya been cryin' Chere?"

"Ah'm not crying!" she declared. Remy gave her a look over the rim of the bottle, "Ah'm not!"

"Chere, ya can' lie ta me. Ya eyes er all bloodshot, ya nose is runnin' and ya eating Chocolate Fudge Brownie, need Remy say more?"

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Ah'm fahne Swamp Rat," she sighed.

The silence continued until Remy was almost done with the bottle and Rogue's pint of ice cream was down to a measly two scoops left.

"Ah got this friend," Rogue suddenly whispered. "She's in love with this guy, see? But she don't know if this guy love's her back or if he'll use her and loose her. He don't have the best track record with women and she's kinda nervous. Plus it would be her first real relationship and she don't like being in unfamiliar territory, ya know what Ah mean?"

Remy nodded, "This friend, she got a name?"

Rogue stared at him for a few seconds, not comprehending what he asked, while he looked down at his hands folded around the bottle on the table.

"Ah...ya, it's Marie, why?"

"Remy always like ta put names wit' problems, so she don't know if she can trust dis guy huh?

Rogue nodded, Remy sighed heavily and let go of the bottle, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. He looked up into Rogue's clear emerald green eyes and knew exactly what was going through her mind. It hurt him a bit that she didn't trust him, but he hadn't really given her reason to.

He stood up and walked to the seat next to her. He pulled it out and turned it to face her. He sat and took her hand in his.

"Remy's turn now Chere. Remy, no…I know what ya mean. 'e hasn' given 'er much cause ta trust him but dey've been friends fo' a while righ'?" Rogue nods. "I can guarantee ya dat he would neve' 'use her and loose her' as ya put it. 'e loves her wit' all of his soul. Not being near ya for more den a few hours leaves me feeling empty and alone."

He smiled and repeated, "I love you Rogue an' I always will. And as for the new territory, look who'll be yer guide?"

Rogue laughed and smiled weakly. Remy's eyes glowed an even brighter red in the darkness now. Rogue couldn't look away. The eyes she had always loved seemed to capture her and she didn't mind at all. Before she knew what had happened, she felt Remy's breathe on her cheeks and blushed. She knew what was coming next and beat Remy to the punch.

Their kiss was soft and sweet but full of a burning passion they had had for each other since the day they met. The moon and sun seemed to pass by as they sat in the kitchen kissing.

Eventually both needed to breathe and they broke apart, Rogue buried her face in Remy's shoulder and took in the sweet scent of him.

"Ah love you too," she whispered.

AN: As I reread the chapter, I noticed that Rogue probably had the ability to absorb people again since Dorian was getting better control, so lets just say that Dorian doesn't have complete control and his negation powers only turn off when he's working with the professor.


End file.
